U.S. meatpacker shipped risky cuts of beef in violation of a bilateral accord

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

U.S. meatpacker shipped risky cuts of beef in violation of a bilateral accord

The ministries of agriculture and health on April 23 announced that a U.S. meatpacking plant had shipped beef containing spinal columns to Japan in violation of the bilateral agreement banning shipments of risky parts as a measure against mad cow disease.

The discovery of risky parts of beef is the first since Japan lifted the ban in 2006.

A Japanese beef-processing factory near Tokyo found the spinal tissue, which is on the list of items designated as illegal because of the possibility of causing BSE.

The Japanese government suspended shipments of beef from the National Beef plant in California.

The U.S. government must be held responsible for the lax inspection systems. Equally, the Japanese government cannot evade its responsibility for resuming U.S. beef imports in 2006 in disregard of strong public opposition.

Following the government announcement on the discovery of spinal tissue, Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors Kami Tomoko stated that Japan should impose a blanket ban on U.S. beef.

She said, “It is grave that spinal column, which is prone to BSE infection, cleared import quarantine inspections and has been distributed in Japan. The recent discovery has revealed the absence of a system to check products arriving in Japan. The government and the ruling Liberal Democratic and the Komei parties bear a heavy responsibility for having weakened Japan’s inspection system as requested by the United States without regard for food safety.”

- Akahata, April 24, 2008